Emergency Management & Emergency Preparedness in The San Luis Valley

If you need emergency help CALL 911!
Si usted necesita ayuda de emergencia llame al 911!

If a disaster happens in your community listen to local radio KSLV 1240 AM or 96.5 FM. Do not call 911 for general information. Call 211 for general information and to register and locate friends and family members.

When bad things happen, you count on your local emergency first responders to come to your aid. They are your Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Service, Fire Department, Search and Rescue professionals. Most of them are volunteers!

The most important way you can help is to prepare yourself!

• Be aware of what is happening in your area
• Practice what might happen in different dangerous situations with your family
• Check the supplies in your emergency kit and change all the batteries every year
• Self-reliance in a time of crisis takes planning and supplies

Start with one project and then keep moving forward with your plans!

Emergency preparedness is everyone’s responsibility and we hope you will look through this website and make a plan for how you can better prepare yourself, your family, your business and your community for an unexpected event. Taking these steps could help you and your family avoid injury and feel secure in the event of an emergency. The more prepared you and your family are, the more likely you will be able to help your community.

Emergency Management includes:

• preparing plans of action
• eliminating or reducing hazards (“mitigation”)
• providing information to the public and public officials
• training, exercising and evaluating plans
• coordinating disaster relief and recovery efforts

Sometimes, dangerous events are so big or complex that your local emergency responders need more help than they can get. That is when your local and regional Emergency Managers help coordinate overall incident management. We find more people to provide aid and organize requests for assistance so that help goes where it is needed most. Emergency Managers are often funded in part by the Department of Homeland Security and the Colorado Division of Emergency Management. The Colorado Division of Emergency Management offers technical assistance and helps obtain state or federal aid when it is available.

Your Emergency First Responders and Emergency Managers work to save lives and minimize injuries and property losses. Our goals also include restoring community access and helping local and county government provide vital services to the public. Volunteer groups such as the American Red Cross Disaster Action Teams, Community Emergency Response Teams, Medical Reserve Corps and Radio Emergency Services provide essential help. We are all preparing to help you. Please prepare yourself, your family and your community to the best of your ability.